Air conditioning apparatus



Dec. 13, 1938.

C M. ASHLEY El AL AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1936 2 sheets-s eet 1 [Ni EN TORS c4124 Y4 E M 1967/1. E) ,2

$14M 1 SHAW/VAN A TTORNEYI Dec, 13, 1938; c. M. ASHLEY ET AL AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i I E 57 l:7 T f I INVENTORS CflELYiE M ASHLEY BY SH/W FSHAWHAN A-TTDRNEY:

Patented Dec. 13, 1933 UNITED earner oFFicE AIR CONDIT'EGNWG APPARATUS Application June 5, 1936, Serial No. 83,776

12 Claims.

This invention relates to air conditioning and ventilation.

The general object of the invention is to pro vide an air conditioning and ventilating unit,

adapted to condition enclosures such as ofllces,

hotel rooms, hospital rooms, school rooms, residences, and the like, effectively and economically.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning and ventilating system asm suring ample supply of outdoor air to the enclosure served by the system at all times, regardless of differences between the static pressure of the enclosure and the static pressure of the outdoor atmosphere.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning unit which will supply to an enclosure air which has been cooled and debumidified, and which will distribute such air uniformly and without drafts likely to cause discomfort to occupants of the enclosure.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved air'conditioning unit for conditioning and ventilating enclosures in which the moisture condensed by the cooling coils of the unit is utilized effectively to subcool liquid refrigerant prior to its supply to the evaporator coils. The evaporation of such condensate provides a highly satisfactory solution for the problem of condensate disposal, and permits the elimination of drain pipes and the like, which heretofore have rendered the installation of room cooling units time consuming and expensive, and have-impaired the mobility of the units.

Applicants unit isentirely self-contained and may be installed in a relatively short time with a minimum of effort. Installation is effected by providing a fresh air duct between the unit and a source of outside air, such as an open window, and by plugging in an electrical connection from the unit to a source of electrical energy. The unit is adapted to be moved readily from one location to another with very little work, and with practically nov additional expense to the owner. Its portability renders the unit of particular .ad-

of: vantage for "on call service insuch places as hotels, which cater to transients, and in meeting the requirements of short-term leaseholders.

The evaporation oi condensate not only increases the mobility of the unit, but also increases its efficiency through evaporative subcooling of the liquid refrigerant.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning and ventilating unit which will assure the supply to an enclosure of fresh-air is at a desired rate at all times, and will provide to the outdoor atmosphere, and in which other air drawn from the outdoor atmosphere and/or air drawn from the enclosures served by the system is circulated over the cooling coils of the system and a is then discharged into the enclosure.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning and ventilating unit utilizing a high pressure fan and a low pressure fan. The high pressure fan provides adequate circulation of air in contact with the cooling coils of the unit and'within the enclosure, and supplies to the enclosure fresh air at a constant desired rate regardless of differences between indoor and outdoor static pressures; and the low pressure fan circulates air over the compressor, condenser and subcooler of the unit.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning unit in which outdoor air and/or air drawn from the enclosure served by the unit is discharged within the unit in a plurality of streams at high velocity to induce a relatively great secondary circulation of-air from the enclosure, said high velocity air and said induced air being mixed and supplied to the enclosure.

It is another object of the invention to provide an air conditioning unit in which outdoor air and/or air drawn from the enclosure served by the unit is cooled and then discharged in a plurality of streams at high velocity to induce a relatively great secondary circulation of air from the enclosure, said high velocity air and said induced air being mixed and supplied to the enclosure, said induced air being cooled before mixture with the high velocity primary air.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a unit having a plenum chamber into which outdoor air and/or air from the enclosurev served by the unit is discharged and from which said air issues in a plurality of high velocity streams inducing a relatively great circulation of air from the enclosure.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an air conditioning unit having. a compressor, condenser, subcooler and evaporator, in which air drawn from the outdoor atmosphere and airdrawn from the enclosure served by the unit are. circulated over the coils ofsaid. evaporator, whereby moisture is condensed therefrom, this moisture then being utilized to wet the heat exchange surfaces of said subcooler, other air drawn from the outside atmosphere being circulated over said condenser and said subcooler, and then being exhausted to the outdoor atmosphere, whereby refrigerant is condensed in said condenser and evaporatively subcooled in said subcooler, and whereby the moisture condensed from the air contactingsaid evaporator coils is carried to the outside atmosphere in vaporous form.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an air conditioning unit including an'evaporator, a condenser and a subcooler, moisture condensed from air contacting said evaporator being supplied to a pan within which the subcooler is disposed, water from said pan being supplied to the outer surfaces of said condenser whenever the level of water within the pan rises above a predetermined point. Such distribution of water over the condenser may be effected by a spinner carried on the shaft of a fan employed to circulate air over the subcooler and condenser.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an air conditioning and ventilating unit in which two motors are employed. The first of these drives a high pressure fan used for supplying air to the enclosures served by the unit. The second motor serves to drive the compressor of the unit, a low pressure fan which circulates outdoor air over the subcooler and condenser of the unit, and also a spinner for distributing water over the outer surfaces of the condenser whenever the heat dissipated in the subcooler is insufficient to evaporate the moisture precipitated by the cooling coils of the unit. These motors are individually controllable so that air circulation and ventilation may be provided at times when conditioning is not desired.

In a modification of the invention, the refrigexam; is water-condensed rather than air-condensed. In this embodiment, a double pipe condenser .is used, refrigerant circulating through the inner pipe and being liquefied by condensing water flowing through the water jacket. In this embodiment of tlw invention, the lowpressure fan does not draw in air from the outdoor at-. mosphere, but circulates air in a closed cycle over the compressor, its driving motor, and the condenser. Thus, the heat generated by the compressor and its driving motor is dissipated to the condenser water.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision. of an air conditioning and ventilating unit which is extremely quiet in operation. To this end, the entire casing of the unit is lined with sound absorbing material. Also,

the driving motor for the high pressure fan and the motor which drives the compressor and the low pressure fan are isolated by resilient vibration dampeners. The plenum chamber into which the primary high pressure fan discharges is also lined with sound insulating material on all sides, except the top, in which the nozzles are formed.

- Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of-an airconditioning unit having an outlet grille in the top -.-thereof formed with a pitch toward the front of the unit of approximately degrees. Thus, the cooled and dehumidined air is discharged into the room at a slight angle forward, which causes the air to diffuse uniformly throughout the room without drafts. 7

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an air conditioning and ventilating unit in which two. streams of air are separately cooled before mixture by different lengths of a single expansion coil.

Other objects; features and advantages of the invention will be .more apparent from the following description to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of applicant's unitwith the front of the casing removed; Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the unit of Fig. 1 illustrating the fresh air connection;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the unit of Figs. 1 and 2, .with a portion of the cover broken away to show the duct which supplies air. to the high pressure fan;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the unit of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram for the unit of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the unit of Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawings, and more particu larly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, II designates generally the casing of an air conditioning unit having an air inlet grille H in the upper portion of the front thereof, and having an air outlet Brille i2 in the top thereof. In the lower portion of the casing are disposed a condenser it, a compressor H, a motor ii for driving the compressor I through belts I6, and a fan I] driven by motor I! for discharging air over the con-- denser. A partition l8, which may be vertical or forwardly inclined at its top, extending lengthwise of the unit, divides the upper portion of the unit into a forward section and rearward section. The rearward section of the upper part .of the unit serves as an air passageway. A duct l9 provides communication between the rear of the upper portion of the unit and a source of fresh air, suchv as open window 20 formed in wall 2|. Preferably, duct I! is provided with eliminator plates 22 to prevent rainwater or the like from entering into the unit. tical partition 23, extending crosswise of the unit and having formed therein an opening within which the fan I1 is disposed, divides the unit as viewed from the front into a left hand portion and a right hand portion, except that this partition does not extend through the upper forward portion of the unit in which the cooling coils are disposed. Fresh air duct I! is arranged to connect with both the left hand and right hand portions of the unit and is preferably provided with a partition 24, which constitutes, in eflect, a continuation of the partition 23.

Formed within the casing" is a vertical conduit 25 having proximate the top thereof an opening 26 and an opening 21. Duct 25 supplies air to a fan 28, driven by a motor 2!, carried on supports 29a. Fan 28 is preferably of the high pressure type so that it will draw in fresh air through duct i9, opening 26, and duct 28 from the outdoor atmosphere, even when the static pressure of the outdoor atmosphere is relatively low. Air from the enclosure is supplied to the fan 28 through the inlet grille II and the opening 2l in duct 25. By regulating the position of the hingedly mounted damper 30- associated A verwith the openings 28 and 21, fresh air and air from the enclosure may be supplied to the fan 28 in desired proportions. Casing l8 prevents fan 28 from drawing in air through any other path than through duct 25.

Fan 28 discharges into a plenum chamber 3! extending substantially throughout the length of the unit. The plenum chamber 3! is provided with a number of nozzles 32 for discharging air from the plenum at relatively high velocity, in order to induce a relatively great secondary circulation of air withdrawn from the enclosure through inlet grille H.

In a preferred form of the invention, the nozzles 32 comprise flat, thin chambers extending upwardly from the top of the plenum chamber and having a plurality of air discharge openings 83 formed therein. Discharge openings 33 constitutain effect, tiny separate nozzles, converging toward their discharge end; Preferably, the tops of the nozzles slope downwardly toward the front of the unit. Any desired number of nozzles 32 may be provided lengthwise of the unit.

The air discharged through nozzles 32 at high velocity induces a relatively great secondary circulation of air withdrawn from the room served by the unit through the inlet grille II. This induced air passes over coils of evaporator 34 which are positioned just inside the inlet ii, and is cooled and dehumidifled thereby. An-

other part of the evaporator 34 is disposed withheat exchange surface.

inthe plenum chamber 3i, preferably in the upper portion thereof, so that both the primary air discharged by fan 28 and the secondary air induced through inlet ii are separately cooled prior to mixture in the mixing chamber to. In

a preferred form of the invention, refrigerant passes from expansion valve 35 through the rear portion of plenum chamber 3i, then through the coils adapted to cool the induced air, and then through the front portion of the plenum chamber 3|, whence it is passed to compressor l4 through suction line 36. If desired, of course, the evaporator coils may be arranged to serve either the primary air or the induced air instead of both. Sound absorbing bames of any desired construction are preferably positioned in the iower portion of the plenum chamber to prevent the sounds of fan 28 from reaching the enclosure served by the unit. The mixture of primary air and secondary air is supplied to the enclosure through outlet grille 12. If desired, guide vanes may be provided in chamber 88 .;or directing the air passing to the outlet grille in a slightly forward direction.

Refrigerant which his been compressed by compressor I4 is condensed in condenser I3 by fresh air drawn into the unit andcirculated over the condenser I3 by fan l'l. Condensing air entering the unit passes through inlet portion' 31a of the duct l8 and is discharged to the outdoor atmosphere through the outlet portion 31b of the duct l9. As will be understood, this air also takes up heat from the compressor and its driving motor. Refrigerant liquefied in the condenser is supplied to liquid receiver 38, whence' it passes to subcooling 0011.38 disposed within the pan in the bottom of the unit. Subooling coil 38 preferably comprises merable length of coil to provide a relatively great If desired, refrigerant passing from the receiver 38 to the subcooler 38 may be routed through several turns of coil such as Na in the air stream set up by fan I], to

eifect air subcooling of the refrigerant. In a preferred form of the invention, however, GVB-PO? rative subcooling is employed. Moisture condensed from the induced air, and moisture con densed from the air in the plenum chamber, is collected and delivered through condensate tube ii to the pan 48 within which the subcooling coil 39 is disposed. Thus, refrigerant in coil 33 is evaporatively subcooled by air discharged by fan ill and by the condensate supplied to the pan dii, The evaporative subcooling of liquid refrigerant provides a simple, yet highly effective method of disposing of moisture precipitated by the cooling coils of the unit, which does away with the necessity for drain pipes or the like, and increases the efliciency of the unit. Whenever moisture is precipitated by the cooling coils of the unit at a greater rate than moisture is evaporated in the subcooling process, the

liquid level in the pan 40 rises. To prevent overflow of condensate, and further to increase the efliciency of the unit, applicant provides a spinner 'ner is evaporated by the condenser and is thus disposed of. This operation is described in greater detail in my copending application, Serial No. 83,777 filed June 5, 1936. Evaporated condensate is discharged to the outer atmosphere with air leaving the unit through outlet portion 31b of duct IS.

The air outlet grille l2, formed in the top of the unit, preferably discharges air forwardly, as

- well as upwardly, ata slight angle to the vertical. Such discharge insures effective distribution of air to the enclosure served by the unit, free from streaks and drafts likely to cause discomfort to occupants of the enclosure. In practise, an angle of approximately 20 degrees to the vertical has been found to give uniform and highly satisfactory difiusion.

To insure quiet operation of the unit, the easing it! is lined with sound absorbing material. The plenum Si is similarly lined, and is provided with sound absorbing baiiies in its lower portion. Also, the motor l5 and the compressor l4 are isolated from the base of the unit by resilient vibration dampeners, or the like. 43.

1f desired, deflectors such as 44, may be used for deflecting air from the inlet portion 31:; of

duct l9 toward the bottom of the unit, and other deflectors maybe used for deflecting air which has passed over the condenser l3 upwardly to ward the outlet portion 31b of duct l9.

The top of the casing I8 is preferably removable. Lifting the top of the casing permits access to the damper 38 and to the switch box 48. carried on support 41, at the top of the back porfeeds fresh air to conduit 25 for supply to ven tilating fan 28, is considerably smaller than duct I! of Figs. 1-3. In Fig. 4, refrigerant is condensed in a double pipe condenser 5| in which refrigerant is circulated through the inner pipe and condensing water is circulated through a water jacket surrounding the refrigerant pipe. Condensing water is supplied to the condenser 5| through supply pipe 52, and this condensing water enters the water jacket surrounding the refrigerant pipe at the top of the condenser, at

' I3. Gaseous refrigerant is supplied to the bottom end of the condenser, at 53a, and is circulated in countercurrent heat exchange relation with the condensing water. Condensed refrigerant issupplied to the receiver 38 from condenser 5| through line 54 and condensing water leaving the condenser passes from the unit through line 55. Flow of condensing water through the condenser is controlled by valve 56, in response to variations in pressure in the liquid receiver transmitted through control line 56a. Moisture precipitated by the cooling coils of the unit is drained from the unit through pipe 57, for disposal in any desired manner. Fan Ila, driven by motor l5, circulates air through the casing in a closed circuit over the compressor ll, motor l5 and the condenser 5|. Thus, the heat given off by the compressor and the motor is dissipated to the condensing medium.

If desired, heating coils adapted to be supplied from any desired source with a heati medium such as steam, may be provided to adapt the unit to year-round conditioning. Such coils are preferably arranged to' heat only the induced air, but if desired, the primary air may also be heated. Under winter operating conditions, applicants invention possesses the advantage that when the apparatus is inoperative, practically no cold outdoor air flows into the enclosure, since such air would have to pass through the relatively small openings in the nozzles 32. Also, freezing of the heating coils is avoided, since no substantial quantity of outdoor air contacts the heating coils.

Since certain changes in. carrying out the above'method of operation and in the constructions set forth, which embody the invention may be made without departing from its scope, it-is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

We claim: 1. In an air conditioning unit, -means for drawing air from the outdoor atmosphere and y from an enclosure served by the .unit to form a primary mixture, means for cooling said primary mixture, means for discharging said pri-. 'marymixture in the form of a high velocity stream. means for inducing a relatively great secondary circulation of air withdrawn from the enclosure by the ejector action of said primary mixture discharged at high velocity, means for cooling said induced air, and means for supplying to said enclosure said primary mixture and said induced air.

2. In an air conditioning unit, a plenum chamber, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber and for discharging said air therefrom at a relatively'high velocity, means in combination with said discharge means for utilizing the high velocity air discharge from said chamber to induce a relatively great secondary circulation of other air, and means for routing refrigerant in a continuous path, a portion of said refrigerant routing means beingdisposed within said plenum chamber and another portion of said refrigerant routing means being arranged to be contacted by said induced air prior to mixture of said induced air with said air discharged from said plenum chamber. I

3. In an air conditioning unit, partitioning means in the upper portion of said unit extending lengthwise of the unit throughout substantially the entire length thereof, air inlet means formed in the front upper portion of the unit, a plenum chamber positioned below said air inlet and extending substantially from the front of the unit to said partitioning means, air discharge means positioned at the upper rear portion of said plenum chamber and arranged to discharge air from said plenum chamber inan upward direction means for supplying air to'said plenum chamber for delivery therefrom through said discharge means, cooling means positioned above said plenum chamber and between said air inlet and said discharge means whereby air induced through said inlet opening by the high velocity discharge from said discharge means will be cooled prior to mixture with said air discharged at high velocity, and air outlet means adapted to deliver from the unit said air discharged at high velocity and said induced 4. In an air conditioning unit, partitioning means in the upper portion of said unit extending lengthwise of the unit throughout substantially the entire length thereof, air inlet means formed in the front upper portion of the unit, a phenum chamber positioned below said air inlet and extending substantially from the front of the unit to said partitioning means, air discharge means positioned at the upper rear portion of said plenumchamber and arranged to discharge air from said plenum chamber in an upward direction, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber for delivery therefrom through said discharge means, cooling means positioned above said plenum chamber and between said air inlet and said discharge means, whereby air induced charged at high velocity and said induced air.

5. In an alrconditioning unit, a plurality of nozzle elements, means forsupplying air to said nozzle elements under a relatively high static pressure, whereby said air is discharged from said elements at relatively high velocity, an air inlet for supplying air taken into the unit by the induction effect of said air discharged at high velocity, cooling means in the path of said induced air, second cooling means in the path of said air supplied to said nozzles, and means for routing refrigerant first through one of said cooling means and then through the other of said cooling means.

6. In an air conditioning unit, a casing, partitioning means extending substantially throughout the length of said casing and adapted to dl-. vide the upper portion of said casing into a front section and a rear section, a plenum chamber adapted to segregate said front upper section of i the casing from the remainder of the casing, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber, means for discharging 'air from said plenum chamber at relatively high velocity within said front upper portion of the casing, an air inlet adapted to deliver within the front upper portion of the casing air induced by the induction action of air discharged from the plenum chamoer at relatively high velocity, outlet means for delivering from said front upper section of the casing said induced air and said air from said plenum chamber, a refrigerant evaporator adapted to cool ai'r'prior to its delivery through said outlet means, a refrigerant condenser positioned within the lower portion of said casing, a refrigerant compressor located within the lower portion of said casing, driving means for said compressor, means for forming within the upper rear portion of said casing a first passage and a second passage, each of said passages communicating with the outdoor atmosphere and with the lower portion of said casing, means for intaking air from the outdoor atmosphere through one of said passages and for circulating said air over said compressor and said condenser and then returnin said air to the outdoor atmosphere.

7. In an air conditioning unit, a casing, partitioning means extending substantially throughout the length of said casing and adapted to divide the upper portion of said easing into a front section and a rear section, a plenum chamber adapted to segregate said front upper portion of the casing from the remainder of the casing, means for supplying air to said-plenum chamber, means for discharging air from said plenum chamber at relatively high velocity within said front upper portion of the casing, an air inlet adapted to deliver within the front upper portion of the casing air induced by the induction action of air discharged from the plenum chamber at relatively high velocity, outlet means for delivering from said front upper portion of the casing said induced air and said air from said plenum chamber, a refrigerant evaporator adapted to cool air delivered from the unit extending substantially throughout the length of said casing, a refrigerant condenser positioned within the lower portion of said casing, a refrigerant compressor located within the lower portion of said casing, driving means for said compressor, partition means for forming within the upper rear portion of said casing a first passage and a second passage, each of said passages communicating with the outdoor atmosphere and with the lower portion of said casing, means for intaking air from the outdoor atmosphere through one of said passages and for circulating said air over said compressor and said condenser and then returning said air to the outdoor atmosphere.

8. In an air conditioning unit, means for discharging a first volume of air at relatively high velocity within said unit, an air inlet for supplying withinjathe unit a second volume of air induced by the inductioir'effect of said high velocity discharge of the-first volume of air, air outlet means for discharging said first volume of air and said induced second volume of air from said unit and means for separately conditioning said first air volume and said second air volume, said last-mentioned means including'heat exchange means of which a portion is disposed in the path of said first air volume and of which another portion is disposed in the path of said second air volume, and means for routing conditioning medium through said ,heat exchange means.

9. .In an air conditioning unit, partitioning means in the upper portion of said unit for forming a chamber extending lengthwise of the unit and substantially segregated from the remainder of the unit, an air inlet formed in the front wall of said unit and adapted to provide communication between an enclosure served by the unit and the interior of said chamber, a plenum chamber positioned proximate'the bottom of said segregated chamber, air discharge means connecting with the interior of said plenum chamber and arranged to discharge air from said plenum chamber at the lower rear portion of said segregated chamber in an upward direction and at relatively high velocity, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber for delivery therefrom through said discharge means, heat exchange means positioned above said plenum chamber and within said segregated chamber and between said air inlet and said air discharge means, means for supplying conditioning medium to said heat exchange means, whereby air induced through said air inlet by the high velocity air discharge from said discharge means will be tempered prior to mixture with said air discharged at high velocity, and air outlet means adapted to deliver from the unit said air discharged at high velocity and said induced air.

10. In an air conditioning unit, partitioning means in the upper portion of said unit for forming a chamber extending lengthwise of the unit and substantially segregated from the remainder gated chamber in an upward direction and at relatively high velocity, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber fordelivery therefrom through said discharge means, heat exchange means positioned above said plenum chamber and within said segregated chamber and between said air inlet and said air discharge means, means for supplying conditioning medium to said heat exchange means, whereby air induced through said air inlet by the high velocity air discharge from said discharge means will be tempered prior to mixture with said air discharged at high velocity, and air outlet means adapted to deliver from the unit said air discharged at high velocity and said induced air, said heat exchange means comprising arefrigerant evaporator, said means for supplying conditioning medium to said heat exchange means'including means disposed within the unit and outside of said segregated chamber for withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from said evaporator and for liquefying said withdrawn refrigerant.

11. In an air conditioning unit, a plenum "chamber, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber and for maintaining therein a relatively high static pressure, a plurality-of upwardly extending relatively narrow chambers in communication' with said plenum' chamber, outlet means for discharging air upwardly from said relatively narrow chambers, an air inlet proximate said narrow chambers for supplying within the unit air induced by the induction eiiectof air discharged from said narrow chambers, said air discharge means being arranged to slope downwardly toward said air inlet, and air outlet means for discharging from said unit said air from the plenum chamber and said induced air.

12. In an air conditioning unit, a plenum chamber, means for supplying air to said plenum chamber and for maintaining therein a relatively high staticpressure, outlet means for discharging vdischargemeans being arranged to slope downwardly toward said air inlet, and air outlet means for discharging from said unit said air from the plenum chamber and said induced air.

CARLYLE M. ASHLEY. SAM r snawnan. 

